You may be thinking, why would you ever shave without water? Are the traditional methods of shaving all they’re cracked up to be? IS EVERYTHING I’VE LEARNED A LIE?
In short, no. It’s highly recommended that you always shave with water. But as it turns out, you don’t need much more than that.
Reasons to Shave Without (Much)Water
Shaving without our warm, foamy face-tubs seems unimaginable, but it’s a common practice elsewhere in the world. Indeed, some of the world’s most manliest men shave without using any water.
What are we talking about? Think military. A clean shaven face is military policy. Requiring the men to keep well-groomed was a way of keeping a sense of sanity in wartime, and instilled a sense of discipline and camaraderie among the men. If men freezing their tails off in the muddy, slumping trenches of 1940s France could shave using little more than a bucket and a mirror, you can too. Now to be clear—shaving without any water at all is ill-advised. But shaving without warm running water? Perfectly possible.
Taking it way back, the ancient Egyptians first introduced the practice of shaving as a daily ritual—body and facial hair was thought to be unhygienic. Even today, there are millions of people around the world shave without a hot, sudsy lather. Many can attest that shaving without warm water provides a cleaner, healthier shave. If you ever travel to more remote parts of the world, or anywhere outside of modern urbania, you may find yourself in a similar situation.
How to Shave Without Warm Water
As we said, you shouldn’t shave totally without water. You need something lubricate your face, but you can shave with a very minimal amount of water, and it doesn’t have to be hot.
Ready to get started?
- Fill a clean bowl with clean water
- Prep up your face by moistening it with the water and lathering a small amount of shaving cream on your face. No cream? Let your face soak in the water for a little longer, and go gently with the blade.
- Shave as normal. Dip the razor in the bowl and shake it vigorously to clean the razor blades.
- A styptic pencil will help stop the bleeding and get your nicks and cuts healing faster. Modern models, such as Glyder, come in sleek, easy-to-use casings that are retractable—meaning they’ll never get gross and wet. So stock up, put together your artisanal tools, and get shaving!